As a fan, when do you make the switch from jerseys with player’s names on them to blank?

Growing up, I always had my favorite players names and numbers on my jerseys. From a Kaka AC Milan jersey, to a Brandon Dubinsky Rangers jersey, I always endorsed my favorite players while also supporting my team. But, lately, as I’m almost 24, I’ve run into a bit of an identity crisis. It feels weird endorsing players and wearing their names when they are same age as me, and even younger than me.

See, I was in the market for a new Ranger jersey and I thought, “should I get it with rookie sensation Alexis Lafrenière‘s name and number?” Then I realized…. Laffy is a full three years younger than me. That’s so weird, right? To be wearing the name of someone younger than you? And it only gets worse the older I get.

Like when I’m twelve years old wearing a jersey with Ryan Callahan’s name and number, it makes sense. He’s older than me, I’m a fan… as a kid I can “look up to him.” But now, I can’t honestly endorse being that much of a fan of someone younger than me. I think from now on, I gotta respectfully rock blank jerseys (team only, name on the front is more important than the name on the back) or Vintage jerseys of players way way older, like Messier’s 11 or Gretzky’s 99.

I mean I can’t be 43 years old wearing the jersey of some nineteen year old kid who just got drafted. That seems a little bit obsessive and kinda predatory, no? And I know I’m talking in terms of hockey here, but the same goes for all sports. Anyone over the age of 33 should not be wearing a Steph Curry jersey. Keep it classy and rock the Chamberlain if you’re so dead set on having a player on your jersey. If I get a Knicks jersey, I’m going Patrick Ewing all the way.

But we can all agree… nothing is worse than the guys who wear jerseys with their own name and number plastered across the back. Now that’s cringe.